Hey everyone!
Just an update on my laparoscopy last Monday: Everything went really well and I am doing good. Even the nurses said how well I was doing! I never had any nausea/pain, especially from the carbon dioxide gas-I expected my shoulder to hurt and I never had any side-effects from it!
The only "downer" is that the Dr. found "stage 4 Endometriosis." The Dr. said that she was surprised I had endo (esp. severe endo) because when she did an exam 2 wks. before surgery she said if I had endo. that I would be in pain from the exam and I wasn't. So she was even surprised that I had severe endo. How fun for me!
Does anyone have experience w/endo that could help me? I am still pretty young and want kids of my own, will this cause problems? What treatment(s) worked for you? I know the Dr. will inform me on everything, but I still would like to hear first from others who've experienced what I am about to. I just feel "damaged" and feel sad with the diagnosis.
Anyways...Quakes99, how was your laparoscopy last Weds? I hope it went well and you are doing great! Please write in, I'd love to hear from you-and anyone else with advice/comments. Thanks!

I'm glad things went well! I haven't had endimetriosis, or have it now, so Ican't give you advice there. It does feel better knowing where the pain is comming from, doesn't it?

My lap went well, it lasted over 2 hours. My doctor found my ovaries covered in cysts. He said they were supposed to be white but they were completely grey. So he drained and removed every one. He also removed the fluid from all my ruptures that was hanging around. I had a hard time waking up-- I just wanted to sleep I needed my inhaler (I'm asthmatic too) when i finally came to, had a bit of a coughing fit. My ovaries hurt for about 3 days, and I still get a few sharp pains. I had 3 incisions, and one of the stari strips came off already, I really want the other two to come off as well. I felt the gas man it hurt. It lasted 'til Sat. then I didn't have any problems. Other then that I was fine! I'd do it again if i had to! I started a new job monday, so I was forced to get up and go. I could have used another day But things are going well, still a little tired.. So he wants me to see an endocronologist (spelling?) to figure out my hormones, and keep me on depo. I have a follow up next week.

Did your doctor go into any detail about the pain from the examination? I was in pain for about 3 days after my last internal, that's never happened before. I have been having problems with pain and bleeding lately, but I think my new doctor thinks I'm a quack. He said the pain isn't gynocological, even though the pains all revolve around my cycles and are followed by heavy bleeding.

From what I understand some woman dont have pain with Endo even if it is severe. Some woman can have a little Endo and be in horrible pain.
My friend had severe Endo and no pain but couldnt get prego...
I found out I had moderate to severe Adenomyosis (internal Endometriosis) and I was in horrible pain.

Endo can cause a lot of problems getting pregnant. I hate to have to tell you that. There is a great book called The Endometriosis Source Book by Mary Lou Ballweg that is FULL of great info on the disease. I have severe endo as well. I'm 29 and was diagnosed about 6 years ago. There are also MANY wonderful websites devoted to the disease. I belong to several. You can just do an internet search on the subject and you'll find tons of hits. Some of them are really great actually. They have helped me immensely.

You are lucky that you do not have any pain symptoms. Hopefully that will not change for you! I was diagnosed beause I WAS having severe pain and cramping in my abdomen along with some very heavy bleeding. I have had two scraping surgeries. The first one helped for a little while but my pain actually got worse after the second. The problem is that even if they remove some of the endo the scar tissue from the scraping can cause it's own problems with chronic pain and infertility. My doctors tried putting me on a continuous dose of the birth control pill but I still had a lot of break thru bleeding and my pain was very extreme when that happened. I tried a few months of LUPRON but could NOT tolerate it! I know it works well for some women but it was awful for me. I had a constant migraine the entire time I was on it and the other side effects were also unbearable! I was then put on depo provera and have been on that ever since. I have no periods which does help but I still have daily chronic pain. My gyno referred me to a pain management doctor this year to help me treat pain which has worked out really well for me.

Hoepfully your endo will stay how it is regarding the pain. If it does then you should be able to have several options for treatment. The main thing to try to do is to halt the growth of new endo cells etc...to avoid any more chances of infertility if you want to have a family.

Good luck! keep us posted on what your doc says! If you have any other questions just ask. There is so much more to my treatment that I didn't have time to post it all...just the big stuff!

Thank you everyone who's responded so far! Please keep them coming!
I was pretty groggy/out of it after surgery when the Dr. was talking to me. From what I understand she drained the cyst, cauterized the endo., and something about the ovaries (? can't remember.). I got back in a week 1/2 to see what she says and what treatments are available and the best way to go.
As for the exam I had, I had never had one before (I had a transvaginal U/S though and that was the 1st time something went 'up there'. It burned a little for a second then it was fine.) The Dr. just said that the cyst was typical of those w/endo. but not always the case. She said if I had endo. that the exam would've been painful and I would've had more pain w/periods,etc. And I didn't have any pain so we were all surprised when she found severe endo w/the laparoscopy. Lucky me!
I feel sad because I know the stats on infertility w/endo. I hope I can prove it wrong and be fine, but I also know reality of the situation so it is hard. But I know everything will work out.
Anyone have more advice/comments about endo.? I really do appreciate all and any advice/comments about it!!! It helps me a lot. Thanks!

Did your doctor go into any detail about the pain from the examination? I was in pain for about 3 days after my last internal, that's never happened before. I have been having problems with pain and bleeding lately, but I think my new doctor thinks I'm a quack. He said the pain isn't gynocological, even though the pains all revolve around my cycles and are followed by heavy bleeding.

I'm sorry you are having pain. I too had pain after my internals, sometimes I couldn't even go to work. Or if I did, I was completely not moble. I can tell you, from personal experiance... get another opinion until you find someone who will take you seriously.... It took me 3 doctors to do it! What does he think the pain is? I hope it's not serious!